Tag Archives: Big Jim

Ministry of Toys advice for parents and young children: 1, Do not put hands into mouth of shark. 2, Do not encourage shark into bathing area. 3, Do not take selfie with shark. 4, Do not pet shark. 5, Do not throw peanuts, fish, live monkeys or hamburgers at shark. Above all, treat with respect and remember you are the visitor in the world of shark.

“Wooof, please stop jumping up and down on top of the scanner,” I said to the office cat this morning. “Look what you’ve gone and done to our advert for ‘Splash Out’. I’m going to have to scan it again now!”

“It’s not me!” replied the cat. “It’s this new Yo-Yo I bought from the toy shop in town. It seems to have a mind all of it’s own!”

“Yo-Yo you say? That reminds me, I need to scan a couple of Yo-Yo adverts I found in the archives – if you’ve quite finished destroying the office equipment?”

I always enjoy coming across the toy artwork ads by Ogilvy and Mather, the company responsible for Mattel’s Barbie, Big Jim and Hot Wheels adverts in France during the 70s and 80s. Here are two Big Jim adverts featuring the eponymous character himself along with fellow action figures Géronimo, Bloody Fox, Captain Flint and Captain Hook.

France. Castors Juniors. 1979.

France. Castors Juniors. 1979.

Mickey Mouse Summer Holiday Reading

Suggested reading for the summer holidays – this bumper edition of Mickey Mouse featured fourteen complete stories and forty pages of games and jokes. Advert from Castors Juniors, 1979, France.

Superman Die Cast Vehicles by Corgi

British company Corgi has never been shy when it comes to producing toys based on Marvel Comics and DC Comics characters. Their Superman pocket-size die cast vehicles range were a big hit when I was a kid, and I remember having the truck, the police car and the helicopter. Advert from Weird War Tales, 1979, US.

Glow In The Dark Posters from Pineapple Kids Club

In 1985 Canadian-based company Pineapple Kids Club were offering some cool sci-fi themed glow in the dark posters, as well as the chance to get free glow in the dark shoe laces. Advert from The New Mutants, 1985, US.

Dungeons & Dragons

A “Dungeons & Dragons” black and white “Adventure” ad featuring the three heroes Valerius the Fighter, Grimslade the magic user, and Indel the elf. Advert from House of Mystery, 1981, US.

Mini-Jeux Pocket Games

Mini-Jeux pocket games were licensed by the Meccano company in France. In the UK they were known as Pocketeers. Advert from Castors Juniors, 1979, France.

TVTA ad counter

TVTA has now published 2,999 print adverts! That’s enough advertising to encircle the planet three times, hot enough to fry an egg, deep enough to contain six olympic swimming pools and faster than a cheetah driving a Formula One car!!